Wednesday, November 10, 2021

beauty binds us together

 What is ordinary daily life anyway?
Breakfast – housecoats – diapers – bath – crying – cleaning up 
TV  - tea – reading stories – snowsuits – writing letters, reading letters,
holding babies, making sandwiches – heating soup 
 folding corduroys – sorting socks – tea – coaxing two year olds
 listening to seven year olds – thinking – quilting – my art 
the radio – the window – the dishwasher 
thinking – jotting down ideas – peeling vegetables
pouring milk – talking – piano lessons – undressing – sex
How would I define myself?
I would have to answer ‘ a mother ‘
When you have a seven-month-old baby, it does really occupy you the most. 
But I feel that I am an artist too.  I can’t call myself one this year though. 
 Now I am first a mother.

Journal Text from December 13 1987 

Images of stitching and nature walks from this week.

 

8 comments:

Mo Crow said...

(((Judy))) and always an artist! is your stitching on velvet?

Liz A said...

how well I remember the endless cycle of days with little ones, even 30+ years on ... and what has changed ... the quotidian things that are no longer necessary, maybe even thankfully done with ... even as some, like letters (real letters!) ... and those sweet snuggles in the rare quiet moments ... how those might be missed

your stitched circles, such a faithful imagining of your words

Kristin said...

You have expressed that special time in our lives so beautifully. Thank you.

Julierose said...

"Mothering" definitely holds sway ;))) It's been many years since I had my mothering days...but i still remember them fondly...now it's grandmothering for me!! Hugs, Julierose

susan hemann said...

I too remember trying to define myself as a mother and an artist, working in the small hours

I have noticed large patches of gray and thinking, nothing to photograph here, missing the colors of summer, but after seeing your photographs I will need to go back out and visit the gray again

Lovely photos, and stitching

apiecefullife said...

lovely photos.
lovely stitches

Nancy said...

Oh how I remember those days of being a mother. warm and wonderful post.

Linda said...

I also felt so close to this. I am 73 now but remember those days. so funny that my granddaughter feels like she is the first doing this routine. Thank you for the memory and the feeling...